NEW YORK— It may be time to set aside some of the hospitality industry’s older ideas and standards of customer service to make way for fresher, more memorable lodging experiences developed with today’s consumer in mind. As noted by Dennis Marzella, senior vp/research and strategic planning for Yesawich, Pepperdine & Brown (YP&B), not only are “the vast majority of branded hotels drowning in a sea of sameness,” but virtually all resorts are “missing the boat” when it comes to marketing, and ultimately offering services and amenities important to “the new consumer.” According to Marzella, the keys to continuing lodging industry success in an increasingly consumer-empowered world include personalization, technology, self-invention and experience— all to be delivered with an eye toward Generation X or younger guests. During a discussion of “Travel Trends In The Hospitality Industry” at this year’s International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, Marzella used findings from the most recent YP&B/Yankelovich Partners “National Leisure Travel Monitor” to underscore consumer expectations that appear to be evolving faster than many in the hotel industry are able— or willing— to satisfy. Primarily, Marzella maintained today’s— and tomorrow’s— hotel guest is considerably less inclined to “buy off the rack.” As such, he said “the new consumer has made personalization the new marketing paradigm.” Specifically, the YP&B executive contended: • More companies today are customizing their products. • This new-found freedom-of-choice is making consumers feel more autonomous. • This wider range of choice also plays to consumers’ increasingly diverse array of needs, thereby making it possible for them to do their own thing. • The whole idea of personalization appeals to consumers who much prefer to spend more money for experiences instead of things. Along these lines, Marzella questioned whether hotels today truly understand the habits of business travelers. For instance, in line with findings recorded in the “National Leisure Travel Monitor,” some 39% are likely to travel with their spouses, 12% with their children and 11% with both spouse and children over the course of 2001. Additionally, he noted roughly one-fourth of those traveling during the coming 12 months would similarly prefer to bring their pets along with them. “The best idea today is just to make [something]easy to buy and easy to use,” Marzella said. As he explained, life is becoming increasingly stressful, especially to Generation Xers and younger. That stress shouldn’t be carried through to the travel and/or hotel-stay process, he added. To that end, Marzella pointed out that “good travel agents are still an important part of the hospitality experience mix. Not only are they still seen as being the most convenient way [for the consumer]to arrange travel plans,” he noted, “but they are also viewed as likely to help smooth out the overall travel process.” As for some concrete suggestions for the hotel industry, Marzella mentioned “streamlining hotel-stay procedures, [perhaps using car-rental routines as a model], and packaging the resort experience with one all-inclusive price [like cruise lines]” might be just some of the ways to more accurately meet the expectations of “the new consumer.”
